The high-intensity car blast near the Red Fort Metro Station on Monday evening, which claimed eight lives, has thrown the national capital into an unprecedented security crisis, intensified by two critical revelations: the Pulwama link of the exploded vehicle and the massive terror module busted just hours earlier in Faridabad.
Investigators from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other intelligence wings are working overtime to connect the dots, treating the explosion and the massive seizure of explosive materials as potentially related parts of a larger terror conspiracy targeting the Delhi-NCR region.
The Crucial Faridabad Connection
The primary focus of the terror probe is a “white-collar” module dismantled by a joint operation spanning Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh on the same day as the Red Fort blast.
- The Seizure: Police recovered a staggering 2,900 kg of IED-making material—including suspected ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulphur—from various locations. A significant portion of this, about 360 kg of highly inflammable material, was found hidden in suitcases in a rented flat in Faridabad, Haryana, which abuts Delhi.
- The Suspects: The operation led to the arrest of eight individuals, including three doctors and academics, linked to proscribed outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH). The two key suspects arrested include Dr. Muzammil Ganaie from Faridabad and Dr. Adeel Ahmad Rather, a doctor from Pulwama.
- The Theory: Investigators believe this network of radicalized professionals was meticulously preparing for coordinated terror strikes across the National Capital Region (NCR). The sheer volume of explosives was enough to cause large-scale devastation.
While authorities have not yet officially confirmed a direct operational link, the NIA has questioned the arrested doctors over the Red Fort explosion, indicating the proximity, timing, and scale of the Faridabad cache make a connection highly probable.
The Exploded Car’s Ominous Pulwama Trail
Further deepening the terror angle is the investigation into the Hyundai i20 car that detonated near the Red Fort.
- Vehicle Traced: The car, which bore a Haryana registration plate, was quickly traced back to its registered owner, Md. Salman in Gurugram, who was detained.
- The Kashmir Link: Salman reportedly sold the car in a private transaction, but the investigation has since revealed that the vehicle was last sold to a man named Tariq, a resident of Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. Critically, the official transfer of ownership documents had not been completed, leaving the trail intentionally murky.
- Fake Documents: Sources suggest fake documents were allegedly used during the vehicle’s resale transactions.
The presence of a Pulwama link, coupled with the arrests of the JeM-affiliated doctors who hail from Kashmir, provides a strong initial narrative for a coordinated, inter-state terror operation intended to destabilize the capital.
The investigation is now focused on finding Tariq and determining if the occupants of the car, which was parked near the Sunehri Masjid for three hours before the blast, were the handlers of the IED.
⚠️ Security Tightens as ‘White-Collar’ Threat Emerges
The bust of the “white-collar terror ecosystem” has prompted a major review of internal security protocols. Authorities have acknowledged that terror groups are increasingly using educated professionals—doctors, students, and academics—to establish highly covert sleeper cells, raise funds, and arrange logistics under the guise of legitimate activity.
In response, a High Alert remains in effect across Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, and other major states, with security beefed up at all key installations, including the Delhi Metro and airports.
